Sherman Chamber Ensemble Offers Music for Winds and Strings This Weekend

The Sherman Chamber Ensemble concludes its 2013 Summer Concert Series tonight, August 30th at St. Andrew's Church in Kent and Saturday, August 31st at the Lake Mauweehoo Club in Sherman with a program of music for winds and strings, including the Mozart Clarient Quintet, Prokofiev's Quintet in G Minor, Opus 39 and the world premiere of a new commissioned work by SCE Artistic Director Eliot Bailen. Performers are Jo-Ann Sternberg (clarinet), Melanie Feld (oboe), Susan Rotholz (flute), Jill Levy and Robert Zubrycki (violin), Sarah Adams (viola), Eliot Bailen (cello) and Peter Weitzner (bass).

In addition to its masterful performances of the classical chamber music repertoire, such as Mozart and Prokofiev, SCE has a long history of highlighting contemporary classical music. Over the years, its audiences have been introduced to some of the best composers writing in the classical idiom today. It has extended its commitment to new music through the commission and premiere of new works by the likes of Edie Hill, Aaron Grad and Ted Rosenthal. "We are pleased to present this Labor Day a brand new work by our own Eliot Bailen, commissioned specially for the occasion by a long-time supporter," announces SCE Executive Director Mary Rindfleisch. "In addition to his work as a performer and SCE Artistic Director, Eliot has a growing reputation as a composer." Local audiences will remember his "Perhaps a Butterfly," song settings based on poems of the children of the Terezin concentration camp and performed at the JCC in Sherman in 2011. Last fall, he received a commission from the Johns Hopkins Symphony Orchestra for a Double Concerto for flute and cello. "The new work to be performed this month is an Octet for oboe, clarinet, flute and strings and will provide a perfect end to SCE's summer season," continues Ms. Rindfleisch. "We invite friends and fans of classical music to join us for this special occasion."

Sherman Chamber Ensemble concerts are performed Friday evenings in the intimate and acoustically excellent St. Andrew's Church on Main Street in Kent, CT. Saturday evening performances take place in the rustic charm of the lakeside Mauweehoo Clubhouse on Leach Hollow Road in Sherman, CT. All performances start at 8:00 PM and are followed by a reception offering light refreshments and an opportunity to meet the performers.

Admission is $30 at the door ($25 for students and seniors). Reservations are strongly recommended and may be made by calling 860-355-5930. Advance tickets may also be purchased online at www.shermanchamberensemble.org. For Sherman concerts only, lawn tickets may be purchased the night of the concert for $10 (bring your own seating or beach blanket).

Also taking place on Labor Day weekend are SCE's Annual "Bluegrass and Beyond!" free performances on Saturday, August 31st at 2:00 PM at the Lake Mauweehoo Clubhouse in Sherman and at 1:00 PM on Sunday, September 1st on the lawn at the Village Barn Shops in downtown Kent. Admission is free and reservations are not required. Bring your own blanket or beach chair for Sunday's performance in Kent.

The Sherman Chamber Ensemble was founded in 1983 to bring world-class live classical music performance to Western Connecticut and nearby New York State. Its summer chamber music series has been described in The New York Times as "about as close as it gets to the Platonic ideal of a chamber music concert." Additional events coming later this year include the annual "Live at the Lake" coffeehouse; Thanksgiving weekend free jazz matinee performances; and a Messiah Sing-in at St. Andrew's Church in Kent. Support for this season comes from many generous individual donors, the Kaplen Foundation, Elmwood Fund and other private foundations and local businesses.

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